APHC Condemns Indian Crackdown on Kashmir Freedom Movement

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference has accused India of using fear and terror to suppress the Kashmir freedom movement, with harsh laws targeting leaders and activists.

In Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the All Parties Hurriyat Conference has accused India of creating an atmosphere of fear and oppression to undermine the Kashmir freedom movement. According to Hurriyat spokesperson Advocate Abdul Rashid Minhas, New Delhi is specifically targeting Hurriyat leaders and activists, using harsh laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Public Safety Act (PSA), and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against them.

Minhas stated that Indian forces are conducting raids on the homes of Hurriyat leaders, activists, and ordinary Kashmiris. These individuals are being detained, their properties confiscated, and they are forced to live under constant fear of Indian repression. He called these actions a wake-up call for the international community, urging them to take note of the ongoing human rights violations in the region.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference strongly criticized Indian efforts to defame the group by spreading propaganda through paid agents. They reaffirmed that their struggle is a peaceful one, focused on securing the right to self-determination for the Kashmiri people, a right guaranteed by the United Nations. Despite these tactics, they asserted that India would not succeed in suppressing the movement.

The Hurriyat spokesperson also condemned the recent visit of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah to the region. He accused Shah of instructing the Indian army, police, and intelligence agencies to further suppress the Kashmiri people’s call for freedom. Despite India’s oppressive measures, the spokesperson stated, the spirit of freedom among Kashmiris remains unbroken. He also reminded the world of India’s unconstitutional actions on August 5, 2019, when the special status of IIOJK was revoked.

The Hurriyat Conference made it clear that anyone who betrays its constitution is not part of the organization. They called on Kashmiris to remain united and steadfast in their legitimate struggle for freedom. The spokesperson reiterated that the Kashmiri people seek a peaceful resolution to the Kashmir issue, in line with United Nations resolutions, through dialogue between India, Pakistan, and the true leadership of Kashmir.

He also highlighted that thousands of Kashmiris, including Hurriyat leaders, activists, and civilians, remain imprisoned in jails across India and IIOJK. The Hurriyat spokesperson appealed to the international community to send a team to Kashmir to investigate the ongoing human rights abuses.

Furthermore, he accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of conspiring to seize properties of Muslims and Waqf boards in both India and IIOJK through the Waqf Amendment Bill, aiming to erase the region’s cultural and religious identity.